Walk
by The-edge-of-reason
Summary: It was everything she had ever wanted, or, at least, it should have been. one-shot DracoxHermione


**Just a random drabble that popped into my head, comments would be appreciated but flames are wasted; I simply use them to cook marshmallows. let me know if the change in POV is too confusing and I'll try and change it. Um...Enjoy?**

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><p>It was everything she had ever wanted, or, at least, it should have been. No denying it would be beautiful, every detail had been refined and perfected through months of planning: the dress was classic and elegant, an embroidered bodice leading into yards and yards of ruffled white, she wore a diamond tiara atop her hair which had been pulled into a tight bun and her complexion was flawless due to the full hour she had sat in the makeup artists chair. To anybody else she would have looked breathtaking, Hermione just felt she looked fake.<p>

The weasleys weren't particularly rich (if she was being honest they were quite the opposite) but ever since they had defeated voldemort shop owners everywhere were denying payment for simply the "honour" of serving them, it was Hermione's worst nightmare, the elves all over again but mrs weasley reveled in the chance to organize a "proper" wedding and unfortunately Hermione was the unlucky doll in mrs weasleys game of dressup and marriage.

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><p>Sometimes she hated being so organized, she was ready way before schedule and had been staring at her reflection for a full 10 minutes. Finally, it seemed acceptable to start making her way to Ron, to the alter, to the end of her life as Hermione Granger. She knew it was wrong to think of marriage as the end, it was supposed to be the beginning of an eternity of love, but the reality was so clear it was hard not to think about the end rather than the beginning. If she was honest with herself she knew it had nothing to do with marriage itself, if she was honest it was more about who she was marrying... But Hermione wasn't honest with herself, she refused to be, she had resolved that she was going to marry Ron, in time surely she would grow to love him; wouldn't she?<p>

Nonsense! Of course she would! No ifs and/or buts about it! She would walk down the isle and meet the beginning of a very happy life. She wouldn't think about how different they were or how much this seemed to be more mrs weasly's wedding than her own, she would forget that she always dreamed of a castle wedding and later of a sophisticated man uttering those 2 perfect words that would intertwine their lives together. No, she would marry Ron Weasly and have a perfectly comfortable life.

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><p>Hermione turned to leave; deep contemplation could wait until after she'd signed her life away, sorry, after the ceremony. She was resigned to her decision and determined to see it through. She was ready then, to meet her destiny, to walk down that isle and into the future. Unfortunately, there was something in the way, correction, someone.<p>

Hermione flushed, she'd been staring at herself in the mirror too long, they'd sent someone to find her obviously because she's almost late for her own wedding. She couldn't help it, she stared at her feet like a nervous child

_"Sorry, I didn't realise how long I'd been, I'm on my way now"_

Hopefully they'd take the hint and just turn around so they could make their way over, any conversation might bring up questions she could barely answer herself let alone some random... Groomsman? Funny, Hermione didn't think any of Ron's friends were the type to wear Italian leather (or really anything other that the first dress shoes their girlfriends hand to them). Luckily, before she could blurt out a random (and probably awkward) comment on her companions fine taste in footwear he decided to save them both the humiliation.

_"It's quite alright I'm in no hurry to see you go"_

Hermione's head snapped up but a heartbeat after the first words left his lips, she took until the end of his sentence to take him in, cool eyes and devil-may-care smirk, before her hands became fists.

_"You!"_

The word was spat with such hatred even his cool gaze seemed to waver for an instant before it fixed itself and he replied breezily.

_"Me"_

As if it was nothing

_"What the Hell are you doing here!"_

This could not be happening, not today.

_"I could ask you the same thing"_

If possible her voice raised even further

_"This is my wedding!"_

_"Exactly"_

_"I'm getting married!"_

_"So?"_

So! He's got some nerve! So!

_"So! So why are you here!"_

_"Because I heard you're getting married"_

Did we not just establish that!

_"I am! Today! Right now! So let me past!"_

Honestly, they really would begin to worry and...

_"No"_

Stop. Rewind. Play; What. The. Hell.

_"Why not!"_

_"Because, if I let you walk down the isle to Weasel I'll be letting you go"_

She was momentarily stunned by this almost confession before reality returned and she realised who she was talking to, she scowled

_"That's the point! And don't call him weasel!"_

He laughed, laughed! Before bitterly stating

_"That is not the point and you know it. This is about you doing what is expected"_

_"No it's not, this is about you not letting me walk down the isle at my own wedding"_

_"I'd let you go if I knew you wanted to marry him, you don't"_

_"I do, I love him"_

Even her own mind said liar

_"Liar"_

_"I'm not lying"_

Fib

_"Yes you are"_

_"I'm not, I love Ron"_

Lie

_"Your sure"_

No

_"Positive"_

A big sigh and then

_"Ok then, go on and marry weaselby"_

_"I told you-"_

_"-not to call him weasel, I didn't. Look, I've always done my best to put you before me and I thought it was clear from the first that he didn't even know you well enough to see what I saw from the beginning "_

_"Which was what?"_

_"That you are more than just the brightest which of our age-"_

_" -What? More than mudblood granger the bookworm?-"_

_"-yeah, more than that. I saw you as mudblood granger the girl, which is more than I can say for him, took him the Yule ball and 6th year to realize."_

_"So? you threw me away"_

_"The death eaters were after me!"_

_"And? I was already in danger by traveling with Harry and being a "mudblood"-"_

_"- all the more reason not to link you to me as well-"_

_"- but why now! Draco I'm about to get married, I'd finally decided to be happy with the life that was expected of me, I'd even managed convinced myself I was over you and now you've confused me all over again!"_

_"I'm sorry"_

_"But why did you come? Why not sooner"_

_"I was afraid"_

_"You were afraid? How is approaching me before my own wedding any less frightening?"_

_"Its not, I just have everything to lose if I stay in the shadows and let you walk on"_

_"Don't say things like that, you'll end up letting me think you love me"_

_"Even if I told you straight that I did you still wouldn't believe me"_

_"Because you don't "_

_"I do though"_

_"Prove it, let me go"_

_"Your putting far too much stock in my ability to be selfless"_

_"You will if you love me, you'll step aside and let me go. You'll turn around and leave."_

_"And if I do, you won't try and contact me, won't try and be friends?"_

_"Draco-"_

_"- it's the only way I can let you marry him, if I make sure I don't have to see you together "_

_"But if at work or-"_

_"- if our paths cross we will be civil but then you will continue passing by"_

_"I..."_

_"Do you agree"_

_"I-I do, I won't make you see us together"_

_"Then good luck, I wish you every happiness "_

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><p>I walk and don't look back, if I turn it will be over I know I will give in. Ron stands waiting at the alter, his family and all our friends sit in the pews, I see my parents at the front. Everyone looks relieved, though I think I see a hint of disappointment flash across Lavenders face but it's gone just as quickly.<p>

Everyone here expects me to marry Ron, if I think about it even Draco did, he spoke of letting me go not just letting me through, suddenly I realise why Draco waited until now; he wanted a clean break, he knew what I would choose in the end. Finally it hits me, what it must've cost him to let me through, to let me go. I'm starting to think that maybe he really was trying to save me from danger and that maybe he still is. By confronting me and speaking of allowing me to wed he knew my resolve to marry Ron would only strengthen, he knew I would think less about who I was speaking and how I felt about them, he tricked me into surpressing my feelings for him by getting me to resist his suggestions on principle.

I suddenly become aware of the silence, I hadn't realized I had reached the altar let alone that the ceremony had started, I blink and look inquisitively at the reverend he smiles softly and repeats his line

Do you Hermione Jean Granger take Ronald Bilius Weasly to be your lawfully wedded husband and forsaking all others promise to offer the entirety of your heart, as his, as long as you both shall live?

I remember this, the only thing I got to choose in the whole ceremony. After this he will ask Ron the same, bind our hands with coloured ribbon and say a few words about the strength of love, we exchange rings, we kiss and we walk out married; Mr and Mrs Ron Weasly.

Forever. I take a deep breath

_"I can't"_

Shock is prominent on all but a few faces, Ginny looks understanding and Mrs Weasly looks absolutely murderous

_"I can't, I'm sorry"_

I turn to leave, but a hand grabs my arm before I take even one step

_"Good luck"_

It's Ron and suddenly a huge weight seems to slip from my shoulders and I understand

_"You too, with Lavender"_

I only catch a glimpse of the blush that stains his cheeks before I turn fully, toss a shocked Lavender Brown my headdress and bouquet, and run.

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><p>I hurtle through the main double doors and down endless corridors, I do not stop. Somehow I am aware I have no idea where I'm going and yet I feel like I know exactly where he is, I follow that instinct, I have nothing else to go on. It suddenly strikes me as odd that it hadn't crossed my mind he could have dissapperated away, that I am certain he is still here.<p>

So lost am I in my thoughts that I almost rush right by him, he is sitting with his head in his hands, he seems not to have heard me. I am shocked to find myself outside, I am in an orchard I don't remember seeing in the tour of the church, I spot a fountain and realise why; the trees are not the main attraction, the fountain distracts people from the natural wonders of the garden, most are not interested in what's not set in stone.

I wait for him to notice me, I wait for him to say something, though I no not what it is exactly I wish to hear. I was so focused on finding him I thought little of what I was going to say, now though the thought of what I might say and how he might respond, the thought of rejection after blindly throwing away my future, almost drives me to turn and run in the opposite direction. Instead I stand my ground.

After what feels like hours (though was probably only minutes) he looks up and all else is driven from my mind; his face is wet and his eyes burn with such intense sadness that I almost take a step back. I once more stand my ground as sadness turns to shock then confusion, his eyes settle on an emotion I don't recognise before finally glazing into his usual mask of reserved indifference; the effect is only slightly ruined by his ruffled hair, crumpled clothes and the tear tracks running down his face. His presence still makes me feel a fool, a silly little girl, a lovesick puppy. But then I take in his appearance again and I realise that maybe I'm not the only one affected like that. I decide to throw caution to the wind, taking him by surprise I grab his collar and crush my lips against his, to hell with self doubt, I just stand there and let him feel what words could never fully express and when his arms come around me I know he feels it too.


End file.
